


Frohe Weihnachten

by succculent_horror (Voyaelm)



Series: Self Indulgence [3]
Category: Boyfriend to Death (Visual Novels)
Genre: Abuse, Alcohol, Christmas, Knives, M/M, Mention of Trauma/Torture, Mild Blood, Pretty tame tbh, rating for btd canon ideas
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-25
Updated: 2019-12-25
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:00:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,226
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21957784
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Voyaelm/pseuds/succculent_horror
Summary: “Are you not ready for today?”“No, I am. It’s just-” His bleary eyes scan the room and land on the large, fake tree with the obnoxious decorations and lights.
Relationships: Ren/Strade (Boyfriend to Death)
Series: Self Indulgence [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1160387
Comments: 2
Kudos: 21





	Frohe Weihnachten

**Author's Note:**

> Hi I wrote most of this at 2 am so I apologize for any spelling errors!! I didn’t have time to proof this!  
> —  
> Also! This is from a mini AU I have where Ren is ‘freed’ but just lives with Strade. I have another story that shows how that happened.

There are worse ways to wake up, sure. He’s been woken up by a boot to the stomach more times that he can count. 

But since Strade’s stopped torturing him, he can’t stand harsh wake ups.

“Good morning! And  _ Frohe Weihnachten! _ ”

“Just say ‘Merry Christmas’ like a normal person.” Ren rubs his eyes and yawns. 

He probably passed out after Strade forced him down here to watch Christmas movies. His chest tightens happily at the blanket Strade must’ve threw over him. 

But then remembers why he’s awake to know this, and he’s suddenly mad again. 

“Are you not ready for today?”

“No, I am. It’s just-” His bleary eyes scan the room and land on the large, fake tree with the obnoxious decorations and lights. “It’s not like you don’t buy me anything I want any other day of the year?” 

Though, Ren is rather excited for Strade to order his December wishlist stuff. The presents scattered around the tree — even though most of them are  _ not _ addressed to him — look fun too. 

“Oh, hush. It’s a tradition,  _ Liebling. _ ” Strade knocks against Ren shoulder and leaves the room. “Just enjoy it.”

Ren sighs, tucking himself back underneath his blanket.

“Don’t get too comfy!” Strade calls from the kitchen. “You’re gonna help me make food!” 

Ren sighs louder and pushes the blanket off.  _ Well, so much for getting a nap before people get here.  _

He walks through the hallway, into the kitchen. The brightness from all the open windows makes Ren seeth. It’s too early to be awake. And  _ way  _ too bright. 

And Strade is humming one of those stupid old German Christmas songs while slicing lines into a ham. 

“How the fuck are you so perky this early?” 

Strade has a track record of inconsistent sleep. Some nights he’d go to sleep at 10 and wake up at 1 the following morning, and some nights he’d go to sleep a 1 and wake up fully rested at 5. 

Ren never understood that.

“Language, Ren!” Strade politely chastises, only serving to make Ren more irritable. 

“Don’t wake me up so early if you don’t want me to be a massive bitc-!”

The movement is so quick; Ren doesn’t even know anything is happening until he feels the telltale cold of steel. 

Strade holds the knife dripping in juice against the side of Ren’s neck.

“If you’re going to act like that, the ham may not be the only thing I’ll be carving.” The voice drops makes Ren shiver in place. 

He decides to cut his losses; he’s not getting out of this one without an apology. 

He drops his ears and casts his eyes up. He makes a soft noise in the back of his throat that is a crude mix of cooing and purring. He sets his head against Strade’s shoulder, while the knife grows more persistent against his jawline. 

Warmth soon blossoms under the blade, and Ren can feel blood trickle down his collarbone. 

“I’m sorry; I’ll behave”

Now Ren’s lived with Strade for a while. Strade  _ knows _ when Ren is lying or trying to get out of a situation disingenuously. 

Not that he’s doing that right now, of course. Even though he isn’t all that sorry. 

Ren half-expects Strade to force him to the ground, to his knees. To ask for ‘a proper apology,  _ Fuchs _ .’ 

But he doesn’t.

Strade just lets him go and goes back to carving his ham, while Ren huffs. His tail lashes against Strade’s leg while he walks to the fridge. The bitter hum that fills the room lets Ren know Strade felt it. Luckily, he makes no attempt to call it out. 

Ren didn’t necessarily  _ want _ Strade to do that. He didn’t want to be on the wrong end of that sleek combat knife  _ ever again _ . But, he’d be lying if the thought didn’t excite him somewhat.

Ren shakes his head.  _ That’s just the trauma talking, you dumb bitch.  _

He grabs a handful of blackberries from the refrigerator and walks back to over to Strade to annoyingly follow behind him. 

_ You need to, y’know, not do that??  _ And, honestly, he shouldn’t be. He should keep a least a bit of distance from the man who emotions flip faster than a bipolar cheetah. 

So Ren actually follows his better judgement and just leans against the counter — on the opposite side of the stove from Strade — to eat his berries. 

He watches as Strade does all the hard work; as he stows the trimmings away in a tupperware container and as he grabs an oven mitt to move the large dish.

That’s makes Ren, sans blackberries, look up. He’s hungry again. 

“Can I have a piece?” Ren peeks over Strade’s shoulder at the large cut of ham currently being shoved into the oven.

Strade seems perplexed; he even does the little eyebrow raise and slight frown. “Why would y-” Ren smirks as it seems to click. 

Strade reaches down into the oven and tugs a small slice from the face and hands it back to Ren. He snatches it up and jumps onto the counter to enjoy his prize.

“Thank you!” 

Strade closes the oven door and walks over to wash the juice off his hand. “I forgot that you can eat raw meat.”

“Mmmhmm.” Ren hums around the tough slice of ham in his mouth. It’s always so much juicier when it’s raw. He’s learned that about a lot of meat. Beef, pork, and chicken especially. 

Once Strade’s hands and clean, he steps in between Ren’s legs and traces around his thigh with a thick finger. “Enjoying it, angel?” 

Ren hooks his calves around Strade’s hips and chuckles when he jolts. “Yea it’s well seasoned.” He swallows the chewed mass of ham and smiles. 

Strade reaches over Ren’s shoulders and pulls down a bottle of rum from the cabinet. 

He then walks off, making Ren whine low in his throat.  _ Hmmm~ _

“Oh don’t be like that.” The chiding is short as he rummages through the fridge, returning with a carton of eggnog.  _ Oh God.  _

Despite the thought, Ren’s tail perks up. Strade’s gonna make drinks.

He’s always so much more agreeable when he’s got some booze in him. So Ren patiently waits, with a swishing tail, for Strade to finish. 

Strade makes two separate glasses, one with only half as much rum as the other. 

He slides the less strong drink across the marble counter to Ren, who side eyes it. There is… not enough rum in that.

“I’m not a lightweight, Strade.” 

“Oh I know.” Strade takes a sip of his eggnog. “But this is just an appetizer. I don’t need a drunk fox at 9 AM.” 

“Ah, boo.” The mix actually tastes good. It’s well proportioned, and it isn’t too strong. Ren only imagines how hard Strade’s is. 

They finish up their drinks quickly, then set about preparing everything: desserts, rolls, salads, sides. They do have quite a few people joining them for dinner. 

In the middle of whisking milk into the potatoes, the doorbell rings. 

Strade tosses his head towards the door, motioning for Ren to go get it. The fox huffs, but does as requested.

Even with everything that has happened in the last few years — and even with everything that happened this morning — this is the first Christmas that Ren can remember being excited for. 

**Author's Note:**

> Merry Christmas, or Happy Holidays, to everyone! I hope y’all have a good day!


End file.
